According to the latest Windows Phone 7 SDK that was released today, it seems that Microsoft’s latest mobile operating system will support DivX via DivX6. While DivX7 would probably be more welcome, it’s still a lot better than having no DivX support at all, like the iPhone. While DivX support certainly gives Windows Phone 7 a slight edge in terms for format support compared to the current version of Apple’s iPhone, there isn’t any mention of what the maximum support resolution will be, so you might want to keep an eye on that. More details on the video formats supported by Windows Phone 7 Series can be found on Microsoft’s MSDN site.

Permalink: Windows Phone 7 Series To Support DivX and HD from Ubergizmo | RSS Sponsor: Win a Fellowes Microshred Paper Shredder!

Worried about the multitasking capabilities of Windows Phone 7? Worried it will only have support for one ActiveSync profile or be missing some of those key features from Windows Mobile 6 platform? Well, we’re pretty sure the good people over at XDA-developers are going to have you covered come release time. A full eight months before it is due to hit the streets, the tinkerers over at XDA-devs have acquired a code dump of the Windows Phone 7 operating system. The code was pulled from the SDK emulator image and currently only runs on an x86 PC, but the XDA gang is already starting to prod and dissect the code in anticipation of a full ROM. You can hit up the XDA forum to get in on the conversation. Let the games begin.

[Via Know Your Cell]

Read

Finally, we're getting to the meat of the matter. Windows Phone 7 Series really made major headlines when it was announced a few weeks ago, but despite the big splash, little to nothing was revealed about the developer environment. Similarly, it was unclear how third party applications would integrate with the operating system. At MIX10 today, Microsoft revealed all.

Last year LANVA reported the IP-addresses of 106 users of the country’s largest BitTorrent site to the police. The anti-piracy group claimed that the site’s users were sharing a copy of the Windows 7 Ultimate operating system and took action on behalf of Microsoft without notifying the software company.

The self-proclaimed investigators evidence consisted of a screenshot of peers as listed by uTorrent. The evidence was gathered in conjunction with a local police officer, but none of the parties involved was authorized to conduct an investigation of this kind.

LANVA nevertheless took one of the 106 users to court, hoping to set a favorable precedent that would allow them to go after other alleged copyright infringers. The case went before the courts and the verdict handed down today was not the one the anti-piracy outfit had hoped for.

Citing faulty evidence, the District Court judge closed the case and fully acquitted the sole defendant Sergej Bernotas. The judge stated that LANVA had no right to collect and use the information they gathered. In addition, the judge ruled that such evidence gathering techniques have to be approved before they can be used.

Sergej Bernotas Came Out As a Winner

For now, uTorrent and for that matter all other BitTorrent clients remain uncertified as proper evidence collection tools. To be used as such, the developers would also have to give their approval, something that obviously didn’t happen in this case.

At the court hearing it also became clear that the police officer involved had no IT experience and simply carried out what LANVA told him to. When the policeman was asked what tools he used to gather evidence he replied “a computer” resulting in laughs from the audience.

Aside from the action against several LinkoManija users, the alleged operator of the site is also facing legal action from LANVA and Microsoft. In January software giant Microsoft sued the alleged operator, demanding $43 million from the defendant and his company for assisting in the illegal distribution of Office 2003 and 2007.

The case against the operator is still ongoing, but today’s ruling makes it unlikely that LANVA will be successful in pursuing the site’s users. The anti-piracy outfit does have the option to appeal, but if they do the case won’t be heard before the coming winter.

Article from: TorrentFreak, check out our new blog at FreakBits.

Finally, we're getting to the meat of the matter. Windows Phone 7 Series really made major headlines when it was announced a few weeks ago, but despite the big splash, little to nothing was revealed about the developer environment. Similarly, it was unclear how third party applications would integrate with the operating system. At MIX10 today, Microsoft revealed all. Update: A lot more information, including photos and videos, at Engadget.

Netflix streaming could be coming to mobile devices by the end of the year, but the iPhone might not be the first platform to support it, as has been widely anticipated. Instead, that honor might belong to devices that are built on Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 Series operating system.

At Microsoft’s MIX10 developer’s conference, the company gave a preview of some third-party mobile applications that will run on the new OS, which is set to ship on devices by the end of 2010. That includes a Netflix app prototype that was demoed by Scott Stanfield, CEO of Vertigo, the mobile development company that created the app.

If all the features from the prototype make it into a final version of the app, subscribers with Windows Phone 7 devices will be able to view new releases and recommended movies, manage their video queues, and watch full-length videos even when they are not in front of a computer or other connected device that stream Netflix movies. Because the Windows Phone 7 OS supports Microsoft Silverlight streaming, Netflix will be able to stream to mobile devices using the same video assets that it streams to laptops connecting to its online Watch Instantly service.

Despite comments from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings that streaming video to mobile devices isn’t a priority, the company sent out a survey to some subscribers to gauge their interest in the development of an Apple iPhone app. Now it appears that an app could be available on the Windows mobile platform before an iPhone app appears. While Stanfield didn’t designate a date for launch, the app could possibly be released as soon as mobile devices for the platform appear later this year.

Related GigaOM Pro content:

How Microsoft Can Win Back the Tablet Market (subscription required)

This morning got off to a roaring start, as a fast-filling thread plopped onto maemo.org seemed to have it from an authoritative source that there will not be a version of MeeGo to run on Nokia’s N900.  The fear, uncertainty and doubt spread like wildfire, naturally igniting the ideal 140-character vehicle for misunderstandings, Twitter.

It became obvious to me that the root problem was a misunderstanding by a Cnet Asia blogger that in was picked up by speed-readers and blown up into a noisy tornado of nonsense.

I’ll break this down for those interested.

Headlines as weapons

The title of the article was Nokia N900 not upgradeable to MeeGo, which sure seems definitive.  One could assume the writer had done his homework.

The offending quote

But then we start reading and realize the writer was tripped up by semantics of the quote, which by the way was unattributed.  The wording was “Maemo on Nokia N900 is not upgradeable to MeeGo. The first MeeGo device is targeted to be released during the second half of 2010. However, applications written for Moblin or Maemo Qt APIs will run on MeeGo.”

The first sentence is key.  To the speed-reader it appears to say the N900 will not be upgradeable to MeeGo.  But what it actually indicates is that the Maemo operating system itself will not be directly upgradeable to MeeGo on the device.  Take “on Nokia N900″ out of the sentence and it becomes very clear.

The safe assumption here is that any version of MeeGo designed for the N900 would need to be installed fresh, overwriting the original Maemo OS and very likely every user setting as well.  Odds are that means backups won’t work and applications will have to be reinstalled (Qt apps should work on either OS).

What Nokia has said

The true definitive word here comes from Valtteri Halla, director of Nokia MeeGo and a member of MeeGo’s Technical Steering Group.  His quote in this regard:

N900 is a natural tool for Nokia to drive MeeGo support for our designs and for the ARM CPU architecture in general. We want to have baseline HW that is powerful, easily available for anyone and form-factor stuff so that one HW works for most platform and application development needs.

That said, please do not take this yet as a commitment to fully productise MeeGo on N900. I am quite confident that we will end up having a really good developer distro for N900 already but committing to stabilise a consumer-grade MeeGo 1.0 (first half this year) for N900 is another story. That is a product business decision beyond my scope. Also, we do not yet know about MeeGo 1 release content. I am not yet sure if I would be personally ready to let my Maemo5 go for the first MeeGo release in my daily N900 use. Let’s see

Conclusion

So the plan is to create a developer distribution of MeeGo for the N900.  At a minimum this makes sense given that the N900 is the reference platform.  Note that as of this writing there is no released official statement on a commercial build for the N900, one way or another.

To try and prevent or at least minimize future FUD, I have updated the maemo.org wiki with a summary of the contents here.

Ultimately I blame blogger Damian Koh for not doing his homework before posting so irresponsibly.  It looks like he was so eager to get this juicy quote onto the internet he didn’t actually consider what it meant.  And I have to confess to getting testy on Twitter when attempts to clarify were met with resistance.  No excuse for that, and no excuse for the original sin.

There’s already enough uncertainty swarming around the N900, Maemo and MeeGo… let’s all avoid feeding it, okay?

Filed under: Mentioning Maemo, Mentioning MeeGo, The Write Stuff, Unusability Tagged: FUD, LinkedIn, Maemo, maemo.org, MeeGo, N900, twitter 0 0

Netflix will have an application for the Windows Phone 7 operating system that allows streaming.

The company showed off the app in Las Vegas where Microsoft is delivering a keynote address to developers about building applications for the Windows Phone 7 platform.

Read the rest of this story »

See Also:

• Netflix Is Asking Customers If They Want An iPhone App
• CHART OF THE DAY: Half Of Netflix Streaming Viewers Are Watching On Their TVs
• Netflix Just Shocked The Bears

Microsoft is betting that Silverlight — a web application framework and rival technology to Adobe’s Flash — can help it woo mobile developers to its upcoming Windows Phone operating system. So far, at least, the strategy appears to be working.

The gang from Redmond used its MIX10 event in Las Vegas this morning to release some free developer tools as well as to demonstrate some of the first third-party applications written for Windows Phone, which seeks to embrace mobile entertainment in ways Windows Mobile simply couldn’t. Corporate VP Joe Belfiore showed off a slick mobile version of the 3D Xbox title The Harvest to demonstrate Silverlight’s capabilities, as well as a news app from AP and a multimedia journal that leverage the technology.

Microsoft also trotted out some impressive third-party partners. Developers who’ve signed on to build atop Windows Phone include EA Mobile, Foursquare, Pandora and Sling Media. Microsoft still faces a challenge in growing that list, though, thanks largely to the fact that Windows Phone will be incompatible with Windows Mobile and won’t debut until late this year. But if the company can continue to secure third-party developers and offer an impressive app catalog as the first devices come to market, Microsoft may find itself back in the game with the Apples and Googles of the smartphone world.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

The App Developer’s Guide to Choosing a Mobile Platform

Images courtesy Microsoft

Seesmic became the first to reveal a Twitter client for Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system at MIX today.

It’s just one of several initial app partners for Microsoft’s smartphone platform, including Foursquare, Netflix and the Associated Press.

The company just announced a Silverlight-based plug-in platform and SDK at MIX, too, and Seesmic for Windows Phone will support that. So, as you can see below, Bing Maps integration is included, and more creative ideas from third-parties will be possible, too.

Seesmic has already released apps for BlackBerry and Google Android smartphones, but not for Apple’s iPhone. The Windows Phone version appears basic in terms of features, with the exception of the Silverlight plug-in support. However, it does look gorgeous, and it fits in well with Windows Phone 7’s style and aesthetics.

Reviews: Android, BlackBerry Rocks!, Foursquare, Google, Seesmic, iPhone

Tags: App, Bing Maps, microsoft, seesmic, twitter, windows phone 7, windowsmobile

Seesmic demonstrated a new desktop client for Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn today. Since it’s based on Microsoft’s cross-platform Silverlight software, it works on both Windows and Mac computers. Seesmic has also opened the software up to third-party plug-in development.

Seesmic is currenly best known for Microsoft .NET-based Seesmic for Windows, which many Twitter users consider one of the best Twitter clients for that operating system. It also offers a multi-platform client based on Adobe Air called Seesmic Desktop.

The company’s partnership with Microsoft has been carried on with Seesmic Desktop’s integration with Silverlight. Thanks to Silverlight’s development tools, the new desktop platform can bring in plug-ins made by just about anyone. For example, the software can inject Bing Maps into a Tweet when it knows the tweet’s location — which it often will thanks to a recent update to Twitter’s web interface. We’ve included a picture of the Bing Maps integration above.

Seesmic hasn’t said exactly when this stuff will be available, but it sounds like it will be soon. Here are a couple of other screenshots of the new Silverlight-integrated Seesmic Desktop Platform.

A Software Development Kit (SDK) going live at http://platform.seesmic.com/ very soon.

Tags: facebook, linkedin, microsoft, plugins, SDK, seesmic, seesmic desktop, Silverlight, software, twitter

As Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) plays catch-up in the mobile phone space, it detailed plans for mobile applications today for Windows Phone 7 at its MIX developer conference in Las Vegas.

The big take-away message is that Microsoft is trying to make it easy, fast and cheap to make apps for the new mobile-phone platform. That will be key if Microsoft is going to be successful in luring developers away from more popular and proven platforms, like Apple’s iPhone, and increasingly, Google’s Android operating system. To show off its capabilities, Microsoft a dozen or so companies on stage to show off applications, just like Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) has done in the past at its events. Demonstrations were given by Netflix (NSDQ: NFLX), Associated Press, Seesmic, Foursquare, Shazam and others. The big surprise is that all developer tools will be available today ahead of its Windows Phone 7 launch later this year.

As Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) plays catch-up in the mobile phone space, it detailed plans for mobile applications today for Windows Phone 7 at its MIX developer conference in Las Vegas.

The big take-away message is that Microsoft is trying to make it easy, fast and cheap to make apps for the new mobile-phone platform. That will be key if Microsoft is going to be successful in luring developers away from more popular and proven platforms, like Apple’s iPhone, and increasingly, Google’s Android operating system. To show off its capabilities, Microsoft a dozen or so companies on stage to show off applications, just like Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) has done in the past at its events. Demonstrations were given by Netflix (NSDQ: NFLX), Associated Press, Seesmic, Foursquare, Shazam and others. The big surprise is that all developer tools will be available today ahead of its Windows Phone 7 launch later this year.

Overclocked CPU and dual Radeons? Ripper

Review The YoYoTech Warbird i750CX is a juiced-up version of the Warbird i750X. Both models are bare towers that come without a display, mouse, keyboard, speakers or operating system, although our review unit was supplied with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit already installed to save us the effort. Everything else is included....

"In March 2008, Microsoft and Nokia announced their commitment to make Silverlight available for certain Nokia phones running the Symbian operating system. Microsoft is finally ready to make a beta of that code available. Microsoft briefly posted, then pulled, the download of the beta of the Silverlight for Symbiancode on March 11, as well as the associated developer tools for that release. I grabbed the description of the downloads before they were zapped."

"In March 2008, Microsoft and Nokia announced their commitment to make Silverlight available for certain Nokia phones running the Symbian operating system. Microsoft is finally ready to make a beta of that code available. Microsoft briefly posted, then pulled, the download of the beta of the Silverlight for Symbiancode on March 11, as well as the associated developer tools for that release. I grabbed the description of the downloads before they were zapped."

By Joe Wilcox, Betanews

Now that buzz about Apple's patent lawsuit against HTC has quieted a bit, I'm ready to pipe in with some contrarian analysis. I agree with other pundits suggesting that the lawsuit is competition by litigation, where Apple hopes to scare off mobile manufacturers from licensing Android. Surely some handset manufacturers will pull back, but they would be foolish to do so. For other existing and potential Android licensees, the lawsuit is a get out of jail free card. Apple's patent case should embolden, not restrain them. There may never to be a better time to license Android than now.

Apple claims infringement of 20 patents related to iPhone's user interface. Engadget's March 2nd patent breakdown is a must-read clinical analysis. But there's more to competition by litigation than the actual patents. Lawsuits often aren't so much about what's right but what lawyers think they can prove; often the winner tells the more believable story, even in patent cases. Similarly, much strategy goes into lawsuits -- how they're presented, where they're filed and when. Then, of course, there is whom. In this case, Apple took on HTC and not Google. Now why is that?

Apple's initial goals have little to do with protecting intellectual property as much as scaring away competitors. I hone in on this because Apple chose not to sue Google, Android's major developer, but instead the largest licensee of the mobile operating system. HTC's Sense UI gives Apple a bit more range to single out the one manufacturer, but based on various analyses of the patents that's more bark than bite.

Why not sue Google? I'll give eight primary reasons:

1) Apple potentially gains more by scaring off potential Android licensees than engaging in a protracted patent lawsuit. It's easier and more effective to raise bluster (and loads of free press) by engaging HTC than Google. Meanwhile, Apple can drag out the lawsuit as a distraction for HTC and other (frightened) Android licensees -- for years.

2) Apple doesn't want to take on Google, which already has come to HTC's defense. Google would fiercely fight Apple, understanding that mobile devices are the future of search and advertising.

3) Apple needs Google more than Google needs Apple. Unless Apple is willing to switch to Bing -- not a good idea considering iPhone buyer demographics -- Google search and maps are a necessary evil. If Google is willing to play tough with China, Apple is easy enough for Google to snuff off. Apple won't take on Google from a weaker position.

4) HTC is somewhat disadvantaged, being a Taiwan-based company. Google has home-court advantage (like Apple), making it a much more formidable opponent than HTC.

5) Patent lawsuits take years to resolve, hence Apple's separate complaint with the International Trade Commission. Again, Apple is using scare tactics to psychologically attack existing and potential Android licensees. So, this is quite similar to No. 1.

6) The patent claims are likely not as sure as they appear. Since most of the claims are really about Android, Google is the more sensible target of any lawsuit. If Apple lawyers were truly confident of winning against Google -- and in reasonable timeframe, they would file lawsuit against the search giant.

7) Android's open-source status creates all kinds of logistical and legal problems for Apple. The company really doesn't want to be labeled with a big Scarlet Letter as an open-source opponent. Apple has benefitted from open-source community development. It's a vocal group Apple doesn't want to piss off. Then there are all the nasty legal issues and potentially damaging precedents should Apple make a frontal open-source assault.

8) The iPhone-Android phone market looks much like the Mac-Windows PC market did in the 1980s and 1990s. Apple unsuccessfully sued Microsoft for infringing on Macintosh user-interface intellectual property. The lawsuit dragged on for years, ending in settlement in 1997. But what if in the early days of the Windows PC, Apple had sued clone king Compaq instead? Compaq was more vulnerable to a UI copyright claim than Microsoft, and other DOS/Windows licensees would have received the message to back off. By attacking HTC, Apple hopes to prevent a repeat "us against everyone else" scenario.

What Apple Fears

Apple has good reasons to fear Android. In the three months from December to February, Android's US smartphone subscriber share shot up from 2.8 perent to 7.1 percent. Worldwide, in 2009, Android smartphone market share -- based on sales -- rose from 0.5 percent to 3.9 percent, according to Gartner (The first Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, shipped in late 2008). Last month, Google CEO Eric Schmidt asserted that 60,000 Android handsets are shipping by the day.

All this circles back to my claim that the patent lawsuit is a bluff. My reasoning:

1) Apple chose HTC, not Google. There is no immediate risk to any patent claims against HTC. Since the real claims are against Google, Apple may find the court -- or even the ITC -- reluctant to rule against an Android licensee in good faith. There is perceived risk, but none in the short term, which is long enough for a united Android front to do market damage against iPhone -- particularly in emerging markets.

2) Apple filed against HTC and not other licensees. Apple had its chance to take on Android licensees, choosing instead to go after one. HTC is enough:

• If the claims are shaky.
• If Apple is looking for one case to establish precedent.
• If the more immediate objective is to scare off existing or would-be Android licensees.

HTC being enough for this lawsuit isn't enough to legally or even logistically hurt other Android licensees.

3) Apple is unlikely to sue other Android licensees anytime soon. A good legal strategy -- from cost and logistical perspectives -- is to make a single case. Rather than being afraid, existing and would-be Android licensees should feel emboldened by the HTC lawsuit. Behind the bluster, Apple has really given the all clear -- it's safe to go ahead; that's Apple's tell. Apple's bluff is meant to convince other licensees that they can't win; so they lay down their Android hands. Yes, Apple could file against other Android licensees, but the only immediate benefit would be to create more fear -- that licensees should fold their hands. Hardware manufacturers should look at Google's backing HTC; there is a heavy-sitting ally at the table across from Apple.

Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010

Filed under: Utilities, Features, Windows, How-Tos

Whether you're a novice user or you know your operating system inside-out, chances are good that you like being able to personalize things a little. Changing sound schemes, placing icons on your desktop, changing your wallpaper -- that sort of thing. Unfortunately, that last tweak isn't possible if you're running Windows 7 Starter on a netbook.

At least, it's not possible without a little help. If you'd like to replace the default image with something of your own choosing, download and install StarterBackgroundChanger [Google Translate link]. Once it's installed, you'll be able to change your wallpaper and even set up a slideshow -- just like in the non-crippled versions of Windows 7!

The program's interface is in English, but the installer is in French -- so take the jump for screenshots and pointers about what to click on!
Keep clicking suivant (next) until you come to the next screen...

...then click demarrer (install). Once the process completes, you'll have two more buttons to click -- just click the only one you can (the others are grayed out).

Now just right click on your desktop and choose personalize from the context menu to change your wallpaper! Click on wallpaper, choose your image (or images) on the subsequent screen, and set how you want things displayed (stretched, tiled, centered, etc.). Once you press the validate the modification button, your custom wallpaper is set! Yes, there's a small banner ad displayed on the personalization screen, but it's certainly not worth complaining about. StarterBackgroundChanger is well worth an ad view (or donation) since it provides a simple workaround for one of Windows 7 Starter's more confusing (and bothersome) feature omissions. Share

Free program lets you easily change wallpaper images on Windows 7 Starter originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows 7 - Microsoft Windows - Operating system - Windows 7 Starter - Google